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Enid, Oklahoma

My husband, Taylor Buxbaum, who also works at A-State as a Director of Development.

Frankly, there are rarely more than a handful of positions open year-to-year for teaching horn. I am very fortunate that I was in the right place at the right time to apply for the position here. A-State was much closer to home (I moved here from Arizona, but my family resides in Oklahoma) and this particular school environment was ideal for me.

my husband (just kidding, it’s my horn).

Someone who is not only extremely knowledgeable in their field, but also has the ability to view their classroom through the eyes of the students and respond accordingly to the needs and wants of the class.

This questionnaire.

That would have to be Dr. John Ericson, my teacher and mentor during my graduate studies at Arizona State University. He is absolutely an incredible musician and horn player, but he is also the most humble teacher I have ever had. His knowledge of his subject area is only surpassed by his ability to always put the student first. We still email to check-in occasionally and I often ask him any time I have a tough question regarding horn, which he always answers immediately. I have not managed to stump him yet, but I will keep trying.

being very short.

A good student is someone who is motivated by their own internal desire to do well and cultivates a feeling for why they need the knowledge provided them in a certain class. A good student passes the class, but a great student realizes the full potential for practical application of the knowledge they are given.

It’s nothing exotic. My husband and I took a road trip to see Sequoia National Park and I just really enjoyed the scenery and sights. It was the first trip (of now many) that we fell in love with exploring the natural landscapes of our big world.

Wales or New Zealand.

reading and playing video games.

Bear Grylls.

That depends on the person. Essentially, the value is in whether or not a university education will take you where you want to go. Higher education can be a valuable ticket to a certain career or lifestyle, and should be treated as an investment in that goal.

Knowledge and Creativity Together Shape the World.

Outside of music? Hmmm… I would teach writing courses I think. My mom is a writer and I have always loved reading.

Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender.

Craighead Forest Park.

Fly Me to the Moon, Frank Sinatra.

That music may not always be seen as essential in the obvious way that something like medicine is, but it connects us all in a very expressive and primal way as human beings that is hard to replicate in anything else.

visit every national park! And see real lava from a volcano (from a safe distance).

Alternative

“The Complete Musician” by James Naigus and Drew Phillips

The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Game of Thrones

The first two books of the Millenium’s Rule series by Trudi Canavan.

Michelle Obama, Peter Dinklage, professional hornist Gail Williams, and Haydn’s ghost

After a rough patch on the horn, someone once told me that “musicians need to spend time gazing up at the sky”. It was so different from the usual mantras that solve every problem with more hard work and more practice, that it really struck me. While it does take immense hard work to develop the technical skills required to become a professional musician, we must also realize that there comes a time to really start making music, and that it is our own personal experiences and emotions that fuel this creative process of our art. That is the one thing that a practice room can never give you. This advice changed the trajectory of my musicianship and I pass it down to all of my students.

cool earrings.

music!

a painting by my sister.

Social life is just as important as academics, and relaxing is just as important as hard work.

The Berlin Philharmonic.

laziness.

cheeseburgers!

peppers!

any day with no plans and nothing to do.

Dogs

Hardback

Mountains

Dinner

travel the world and never pay for it.

nice try.

“The only reason anyone ever failed at anything was because they eventually gave up” - Victor Wooten